ASIX-WAY playoff,
a teenage winner
and a scissor-kick
celebration on the 18th
green—the Women’s
Australian Open had it all.
Causing the buzz that put
the normally reserved
Royal Melbourne folk in
a spin for a while was
American Jessica Korda.
The bubbly 18-year-old
rolled in a 25-foot birdie
putt on the second extra
hole of the crowded playoff
to claim her maiden LPGA
title on Sunday.
The win completed one
of the world’s rarest
sporting doubles with her
father, Petr, who won an
Australian Open tennis title
14 years ago.
“Dad and I spoke on
Monday and he said
Melbourne had been good
to him,” Korda said after
the win.
“When I was walking around
here and you have that
[Melbourne] sign on pretty
much every green, it always
made me smile because
it just reminds me of the
good times. It’s just a really
special place for my family.
“So for my first win, I
honestly couldn’t have
thought of a better place.”
Joining Korda in just the
second six-way playoff in
LPGA Tour history were
compatriots Stacy Lewis
and Brittany Lincicombe,
Korean pair Hee Kyung
Seo and So Yeon Ryu and
Paraguay’s Julieta Granada.
Lincicome had the best
chance to win on the first
playoff hole after a terrific
approach shot. But her six-
footer for birdie circled the
cup instead of dropping.
Korda earned $165,000 and
is projected to move from
No.285 to No.30 in world
rankings. OTG
KORDA’S ROYAL STRIKE
FINAL STANDINGS
1 JESSICA KORDA
USA -3 $165,000
T2 STACY LEWIS
USA -3 $63,784
T2 BRITTANY LICICOME USA -3 $63,784
T2 JULIETA GRANADA
PAR -3 $63,784
T2 SO YEON RYU
KOR -3 $63,784
T2 HEE KYUNG SEO
KOR -3 $63,784
7 JENNY SHIN
KOR -2 $31,743
T8 KATIE FUTCHER
USA -1 $26,406
T8 YANI TSENG
TWN -1 $26,406
T10 ANNA NORDQVIST
SWE E $21,911
T10 BEATRIZ RECARI
SON E $21,911
ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open
Royal Melbourne GC, AUSTRALIA
“[Melbourne’s]
just a really
special place for
my family. So for
my first win, I
honestly couldn’t
have thought of a
better place.”
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